Patients with intellectual disability (ID) can benefit from thefull range of mental health services. To ensure that psychiatricassessment, diagnosis and treatment interventions are relevant andeffective; individuals with ID should be evaluated and treatedwithin the context of their developmental framework. Behaviorshould be viewed as a form of communication. Individuals with ID often present with behavioral symptomscomplicated by limited expressive language skills and undiagnosedmedical conditions. Many training programs do not include focusedstudy of individuals with ID, despite the fact that patients withID will be seen by virtually every mental health practitioner. Inthis book, the authors present a framework for competent assessmentand treatment of psychiatric disorders in individuals with ID.
Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability is aresource guide for psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and otherprescribers treating patients with ID. It is a supplemental textfor psychiatry residents, medical students, psychology graduatestudents, psychotherapists, counselors, social workers, behaviorsupport specialists and nurses.
To assist the practicing clinicianthe book includes: * Clinical vignettes * Clinical pearls * Charts for quick reference * Issues concerning medications and poly-pharmacy * Altered diagnostic criteria specific for use with individualswith ID
There are no evidence-based principles dedicated to psychotropicmedication use in ID, but consensus guidelines address the highprevalence of poly-pharmacy. Altered diagnostic criteria have beenpublished which accommodate less self-report and incorporatecollateral information; this book reviews the literature onpsychotropic medications, consensus guidelines, andpopulation-specific diagnostic criteria sets.
Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability alsoincludes: * Interviewing techniques and assessment tips for all levels ofcommunicative ability as well as for nonverbal individuals * Assessment of aggression to determine etiology and formulate atreatment plan * Overview of types of psychotherapy and suggested alterationsfor each to increase efficacy * Relevant legal issues for caregivers and treatmentproviders
The detective work involved in mental health assessment ofindividuals with ID is challenging yet rewarding.
The highestquality mental health treatment limits hospital days, improvesquality of life and often allows individuals to live in the leastrestrictive environments. Psychiatry of IntellectualDisability is a must have resource for clinicians treatingthe ID population.
